Archive for April 16th, 2010

One coach I grew up working with was Kevin Hartzell, then head coach of the St. Paul Vulcans and now back in the business coaching the Sioux Falls Stampede of the U.S. Hockey League, a Tier I Junior (16-19 year old players) League based across the Midwestern U.S. Hartz made it a point to notice how a player approached his work, feeling it was indicative of the sort of player he was. Did the kid pay attention to detail or was he sloppy? Was he early for practice or was he always a late arrival? “Little things” Hartz would call them.

That stuck in my head last night watching ESPN’s Jon Gruden’s QB Camp, a film session Gruden does with the top four quarterback prospects — Sam Bradford, Colt McCoy, TimTebow,and Jimmy Clausen — in this year’s NFL Draft. Claussen has gained a reputation for being arrogant. For what reasons, I don’t know. My friend Michael Floyd caught passes from him at Notre Dame for two years and liked Jimmy. That’s all the recommendation I need.

Photo by Vince Muzik

Clausen took some harsh, no-holes-barred criticism from Gruden, reputed to be an expert indeveloping young quarterbacks, as to what he could do to improve his play. Whether it was a just a product of the way ESPN edited the show, Clausen didn’t mind writing down the criticisms Gruden had. This isn’t the sort of thing an arrogant person would do. It was reminiscent of what photo editors at Sports Illustrated have told me when critiquing my work; it’s not any fun. While taking notes won’t make you a great player, I would say that’s one of those “little things” that tells me how Clausen approaches his work: He’s a student. Maybe the other guys have great memories; however, if they are human like the rest of us they are prone to forgetting things if they aren’t written down. Personally, if I were a young guy trying to make it in the NFL, I’d want to remember every important point a teacher like Gruden had to say to me. Even if it weren’t pleasant; it’s the only way to improve.

Personally, I think Nebraska’s defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh is the best player in this draft hands down. Sam Bradford I wouldn’t touch with a ten-foot pole after that shoulder surgery and Tim Tebow is a project not worth of a first rounder. Colt McCoy is worth a long look at the right price, but Clausen gets my vote. Of course, whatever team he goes to will have give him good offensive line play or else he’ll get killed, but that’s another issue. For now I’ll go with Clausen.